The intersection was reopened to traffic about 8:40 a.m. Friday, nearly 12 hours after the area closed for the investigation and crash reconstruction teams to work.

Events leading up to the crash started with Winnebago County deputies attempting to pull over a red Dodge pickup suspected of driving under the influence shortly after 9 p.m. at East State Street and Dawn Avenue.

While deputies were speaking to the driver, he fled in the vehicle and deputies pursued him.

At the intersection of Turner and Alpine, the Dodge struck a pickup and continued on. Subsequently, the Dodge ended up northbound on Mulford Road, ran a red light and struck a black Chrysler Sebring traveling east on Garrett Lane.

Both vehicles then struck a southbound Ford Escape stopped on Mulford at a red light.

The driver and passenger of the Escape were taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Police pursuits can pose a danger to public safety, so Sheriff’s Department policy discourages pursuits except when necessary to protect the public. It’s a decision that requires deputies to balance competing public safety concerns, Iasparro said.

“Policy is that if the risk outweighs the benefits of apprehension, the pursuit should be called off,” he said. “They evaluated it and felt for the public’s safety that they needed to pursue to try and stop him.

"He was driving recklessly, into oncoming lanes of traffic and through red lights. They felt an attempt was needed to stop him.”